How do you think barcodes work? - Becca

I think that its all a sham. Everyone knows that they have psychic monkeys who are in the back of the store sending the correct price to the register.- Junkie Deluxe

I think its kind of like a player piano and the little lines make an inaudible musical note when they are scanned by a light source. When a laser is used for the light source the inaudible music is much more appealing to the ear. - Grape Douchebag

the scanner READS THE PATTERNS AND THE PRICE IS SCANNED IN ??? I GUESS - Dumbass without a Name

The barcode is made up of 12 digits that are seperated into groups. The first two digits show the country that issued the barcode, and the following four digits indicate the manufacturer. The final six digits are the manufacturer's product code. These differ between each product of the same brand. Each of the sets of bars vary in thickness, but each digit is represented by a total of seven grouped bars and spaces. These codes are read by computers and identify each item that is "scanned".- G-Rod

absolutely no idea- Life Essence

Well, you get the product they're on, wave the bar code over the scanner thingy (the bar code is the black and white thing with the fat and thin stripes NB: It does not look like a horse, THAT IS A ZEBRA). Is that clear enough or do I need to get the sock puppets again?- Mzebonga

Machines scan them into an intenal database, to record whatever the product is that is being scanned. The machines will use this too keep track of the stupid things that humans buy, and they will plot their revenge on us by one day taking away the meaningless "things" that will fill our lives with, thus leaving all of humanity in a state of panic and mania.- idontmindthesunsometimes

See, barcodes are one of many things that I'd like to know little about. My brain would probably explode if I tried to read about how they work. This has happened before. Don't ever learn about just what causes distortion in your television screen. There's nothing more unattractive than a headless body post-explosion.- McDiablo

I imagine you scan them with that little laser thingy at the cash register. At least that's how it looks like you use them. Or were you looking for a more in depth analysis of the situation?- Archbishop Shaggy

They have a series of specially formatted lines that, when scanned by a barcode scanner, translate into something meaningful. It's like magic, only with technology and lines.- JCP

Magic; specifically necromancy. The ink in barcodes is made by burning the ribcage of a virgin sacrifice, and mixing the ashes with the bile of a new-born sandworm. The laser scanner thingy is just a standard reader, nothing evil there though.- agent_of_truth

osmosis- emmie

They don't. They’re just there for people think that barcodes have a purpose, much like the idea of wearing clothing.- If I olny had a navel....

The laser picks your brainwaves and decides what price you don't want it to be if you haven't checked the price yet but if you have then they are screwed and have to put the already ridiculous price on there.- Cheesy Pickle

Of course they work in code but only a drunk can hack it.- reddnex

Barcodes work by the discarded, weird colored magic ponies that were not accepted in snobby Ponyland so they were sent to work the Barcodes by flying the prices to the cash register form the factories. This is cruel and racist to the odd colored magic ponies so join with me and stop magic pony segregation and force labor!!!- sharpie sniffer